I can see it now: Cal football nation is ready to throw a fit because everyone’s favorite quarterback has sat out two practices this week with a pulled pectoral muscle.

Nate Longshore suffered the injury last Wednesday, felt uncomfortable last Friday and still participated in the Bears’ first workout in full pads last Saturday, according to Bear Talk.

This may be the time for Cal fans to start calling for backup Kevin Riley’s name (like they haven’t already).

But a few things about the quarterback situation first.

Longshore is still the incumbent No. 1 starter in Jeff Tedford’s eyes. This is evident in the fact that before Longshore sat out practices this week, the senior quarterback was taking reps with the first team and the new golden boy (Riley) was still chucking the ball to the second string receivers.

Tedford has also, on many of a number of occasions, said that he will not make a decision on who the starting quarterback is going to be until (at the earliest) fall camp. So everyone who is rooting for Riley to take over the job, he won’t be doing so this month.

Also, everyone gets a little banged up in the spring. There are only so many practices for these guys to go out there and chip the rust off before they go back on break for the summer. This means that more likely than not, these athletes are going to go full speed and trying to make an impression heading into the fall.

So while Longshore is out, don’t count him out, even if Riley has dazzled you.

And while Riley was a bit more impressive in his two outings in 2007 than Longshore ever was as the starter, rumor has it that Longshore looks mighty good in the first week or so of spring ball.

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